FortiClient MacOS configuration restore

[fvazquez]

Hello, everyone.

I've recently installed FortiClient VPN only v7.2.4 in MacOS Sonoma 14 and tried to restore a configuration file extracted from a Windows device generated on a previous version (v7.2.3) but ran into the "Error importing configuration file" message box.

I've noticed some of the xml lines are different from the Windows and MacOS version so I had modified them but as it turns out neither a newly generated backup file from the MacOS installed client seems to be working by restoring it right after being generated. Has anyone of you been in this situation? I've thought about manually creating each VPN but I'm missing most of the PSKs of the IPsec tunnels. 

Is there any known workaround or method to restore configurations?

Thanks!

[SpringTime · Accepted solution]

Using the GUI, I was receiving the same "Error importing configuration file" issue while attempting to restore a config file from my old Mac running Monterey 12.7.5 with FortiClient VPN 7.2.2.0776 to my new Mac running Sonoma 14.5 with FortiClient VPN 7.4.0.1645.

While searching for solutions, I found the following documentation on the CLI utility: Backing up and restoring CLI utility commands and syntax 

Here are the steps I used to successfully transfer my VPN IPSec settings to my new Mac...

In Terminal, Command Line Backup on Old Mac:
cd "/Library/Application Support/Fortinet/FortiClient/bin"
./FCConfig -f /Users/username/Downloads/settings.xml -m all -o export

In Finder, on Old Mac:
Copy settings.xml to iCloud from /Users/username/Downloads/ folder on old Mac

In Finder, on New Mac
Copy settings.xml from iCloud to /Users/username/Downloads/ on new Mac

In Terminal, Command Line Restore on New Mac:
cd "/Library/Application Support/Fortinet/FortiClient/bin"
sudo ./FCConfig -m all -f /Users/username/Downloads/settings.xml -o import

[Stephen_G]

Hello fvazquez,

Thank you for using the Community Forum. I will seek to get you an answer or help. We will reply to this thread with an update as soon as possible.

Thanks

[Stephen_G]

Hello,

We are still looking for someone to help you.

We will come back to you ASAP.

Regards,

[fvazquez]

Thanks for the follow up, @Stephen_G !

I don't know if anyone else has had this issue. I even tried to generate a clean backup in the MacOS FortiClient and restoring it but the same "Error importing configuration file" pops up. I''m guessing this is not a normal behavior, since it was a backup generated from the same Mac device and not even that file is restoring correctly. I've had my SSL tunnels configured manually by now, but still haven't done so with the IPsec tunnels which are missing their corresponding PSK.

Best regards!

[d_ly]

Apparently FortiClient for MacOS does not support the "authentication" attribute (password) in the <forticlient_configuration> tag. If you remove it, you can see that the configuration gets imported but the encrypted values do not work anymore. Please fix this!

[Morty_liu]

Hi ,have u solve this issue? I have the same issue with u

[Morty_liu · Accepted solution]

It seems that I didn't give full permissions to the forticlient ,after I give fctservctl2 full permissions in Mac's settings , it works successes.

[fvazquez]

Hello, I have indeed given these permissions on FortiClient and it works just fine. Thanks!

[btan]

Hi fvazquez,

I just tested with macOS 14, export a Free FCT 7.2.4 config and restored the config back to it, it can be done successfully.

As macOS FCT config file isn't export in a readable text form, it would be difficult to check what is broken/corrupt in your config file.

Perhaps you may try with another fresh new macOS, config the same VPN and export another config file that is clean.

[SpringTime · Accepted solution]

Using the GUI, I was receiving the same "Error importing configuration file" issue while attempting to restore a config file from my old Mac running Monterey 12.7.5 with FortiClient VPN 7.2.2.0776 to my new Mac running Sonoma 14.5 with FortiClient VPN 7.4.0.1645.

While searching for solutions, I found the following documentation on the CLI utility: Backing up and restoring CLI utility commands and syntax 

Here are the steps I used to successfully transfer my VPN IPSec settings to my new Mac...

In Terminal, Command Line Backup on Old Mac:
cd "/Library/Application Support/Fortinet/FortiClient/bin"
./FCConfig -f /Users/username/Downloads/settings.xml -m all -o export

In Finder, on Old Mac:
Copy settings.xml to iCloud from /Users/username/Downloads/ folder on old Mac

In Finder, on New Mac
Copy settings.xml from iCloud to /Users/username/Downloads/ on new Mac

In Terminal, Command Line Restore on New Mac:
cd "/Library/Application Support/Fortinet/FortiClient/bin"
sudo ./FCConfig -m all -f /Users/username/Downloads/settings.xml -o import